Auditor General Eugene DePasquale held a press conference Thursday morning to discuss the results from three audits that were launched to determine the monitoring and effectiveness of opioid-related drug treatment initiatives in the Commonwealth.

In 1996, Gov. Tom Ridge signed Act 148 authorizing funding of $179 million for the creation of the statewide radio system known as PA-STARNet, with the goal of designing a radio system through which each state agency would be able to communicate.

It is now two decades later and the system, considered unreliable by its users, has cost the Commonwealth an estimated $810 million and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are asking for more time and more money to finally create a system that will live up to its expectations.

With the safety of the Commonwealth’s first responders at risk as well as that of Pennsylvania citizens, The PLS Reporter has traced the history of this issue to determine what has gone wrong and why the system has continuously been plagued with problems.

Dozens of advocates filled the Pittsburgh City Council chambers Wednesday during a public comment period before council members in an effort to spur officials to designate Pittsburgh as an official sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants.

The public comment period was brought to city council by a petition campaign driven by Pittsburgh Sanctuary City Coalition. Public forums in front of city council can be triggered by petitions with 25 collected signatures.

Pittsburgh Sanctuary City Coalition’s petition requests that city council pass legislation that would codify Pittsburgh as a so-called “sanctuary city”, which would make it illegal for any city agencies and the Pittsburgh City Police to collaborate with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). There is no drafted legislation to designate Pittsburgh as a sanctuary city currently in city council.